Campground
1,600 m
Aire de bivouac de Manganu
Manganu · GR20 km 63.4
Grassy bivouac area set up near the Manganu hut, on a pleasant ledge beside the stream. Bivouacking is only permitted…
Elevation profile
1,500 m1,750 m2,000 m2,250 m0 km1 km2 km3 km4 km5 km6 km7 km8 kmBrèche de Capitellu 2,225 m
| Waypoint | Altitude | Km |
|---|---|---|
| Refuge de Manganu | 1,601 m | 0 km |
| Brèche de Capitellu | 2,225 m | 2.9 km |
| Refuge de Petra Piana | 1,842 m | 8.3 km |
The route
The climb from Manganu is sustained, over slabs and scree, up to the Brèche de Capitellu (2,225 m). On the other side, the view plunges down to the Capitellu and Melu lakes, often still fringed with snow in June: one of the most famous panoramas on the GR20.
The trail then follows a long balcony traverse, with a few chain-equipped sections, above the Restonica valley. The final section leads to the Petra Piana hut, set at 1,842 m at the foot of Monte Rotondo.
Early in the season, snowfields can make the gap tricky: the PNRC then advises crampons, an ice axe and a rope.
Practical tips
- Early in the season: check the snow conditions at the Brèche de Capitellu and the Bocca alle Porte.
- Swimming is prohibited in the high mountain lakes.
- From Petra Piana, the ascent of Monte Rotondo takes about 5 hours return.
Water points and tricky sections
4 water points listed on this stage and 1 tricky section (chains, ladders, exposed steps). Springs can run dry in late summer: ask the hut wardens and treat the water if in doubt.
| Km | Point | Type | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.8 km | Source de la cascade de Filiccioni | Water point | 1,775 m |
| 2.3 km | Source de Bocca Alle Porte | Water point | 2,051 m |
| 3.5 km | Chaîne de la brêche de Capitello | Tricky section | 2,080 m |
| 4.8 km | Source de Bocca Soglia | Water point | 2,010 m |
| 5.5 km | Source du col de Rinoso | Water point | 2,065 m |
Source: refuges.info (CC BY-SA), points less than 250 m from the trail.
Variants on this stage
Stage map
Where to stay on stage 7?
Accommodation along the stage, at the finish or on its variants, in walking order.
Refuge de Manganu 2 places to stay
Refuge
1,600 m
Refuge de Manganu
Manganu · GR20 km 63.4
Hut built in 1978, then extended and refitted in 2001. It concludes the long sixth stage and precedes the very rocky…
Refuge de Petra Piana 2 places to stay
Campground
1,842 m
Aire de bivouac de Petra Piana
Petra Piana · GR20 km 71.7
High-altitude bivouac area (over 1,800 m) around the Petra Piana hut. Bivouacking is only permitted on the designated…
Refuge
1,842 m
©Refuge de Petra Piana
Petra Piana (below Monte Rotondo) · GR20 km 71.8
High-mountain hut at the foot of Monte Rotondo, reached after the Brèche de Capitellu and its views of Lac de Melu and…